Antiracist Journalism: The Challenge of Creating Equitable Local News

Newsrooms in the US are addressing systemic racism through DEI initiatives, but are they merely performative? Andrea Wenzel's book "Antiracist Journalism" examines how local media organizations in the Philadelphia area are attempting to address structural racism, focusing on two established majority-white newsrooms and two start-ups with a majority of BIPOC staff. She argues that institutional and systemic transformation will only be possible through the establishment of structures that facilitate holding those with more power responsible for listening to and addressing the needs and concerns of those with less.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Across the United States, newsrooms are grappling with systemic racism in their organizations and the media industry. Many have implemented diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or made other attempts to confront past and present biases in pursuit of greater equity. Are such efforts merely performative, or are any transforming norms and power structures? What would it take to hold newsrooms truly accountable?

Andrea Wenzel provides a critical look at how local media organizations in the Philadelphia area are attempting to address structural racism. She focuses on two established, majority-white newsrooms, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the public radio station WHYY, and two start-ups where at least half the staff identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), Resolve Philly and Kensington Voice. Drawing on more than five years of field research, Wenzel charts how these outlets have pursued a range of interventions—such as tracking the diversity of sources, examining reporting and editing practices, and working with community members to gain input—to varying degrees of success. Wenzel argues that institutional and systemic transformation will be possible only through the establishment of structures that facilitate holding those with more power responsible for listening to and addressing the needs and concerns of those with less. Offering recommendations for building infrastructure that enables sustainable accountability, Antiracist Journalism is an important book for everyone interested in making local journalism more equitable.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY, two well-established majority-white newsrooms, are examined in Andrea Wenzel's book Antiracist Journalism to assess their efforts to combat structural racism. She also looks at two start-ups, Resolve Philly and Kensington Voice, where at least half the staff members identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). Wenzel's study, which spans more than five years, details how these media outlets have implemented a variety of measures, including monitoring the diversity of sources, analyzing reporting and editing practices, and collaborating with community members to gather feedback. Wenzel contends that institutional and systemic change can only occur with the establishment of mechanisms that encourage those in positions of power to listen to and address the needs and concerns of those in less powerful positions. She makes recommendations for developing infrastructure that supports long-term accountability.

In conclusion, Antiracist Journalism is a valuable resource for anyone interested in promoting greater equity in local journalism. Wenzel's critical analysis of the efforts of Philadelphia's media organizations to address structural racism provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing newsrooms in the pursuit of greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. By highlighting the need for institutional and systemic transformation, as well as the importance of building infrastructure that supports sustainable accountability, Wenzel's book offers practical recommendations for making local journalism more equitable and inclusive.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231209687